A Fear Of Slowly Dying
by Regal-Song
Summary: When Eric and Calleigh started their clandestine relationship, he stopped thinking that conversations and decisions he had and made with her were ever going to come about the way they always had with every other woman he'd ever known.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first published CSI: Miami fic. I've been working on the csi_bigbang over at Livejournal and I decided that it'd be nice to dabble in some CSI: Miami before I actually get my story published over there. So this story is completely unrelated to that. It will be more than a chapter long, provided that it's popular enough, though it is capable of standing on it's own. I would prefer to keep it going, but I'll see how you guys like it and we'll go from there.

You may notice that I've promoted Calleigh from an Officer to a Sergeant. Now, I'm not all that familiar with police rankings, but I do believe that for her to be in charge of her own shift, aptly named the "Swing" shift because I believe that's how they referred to Catherine's shift in CSI? Where she was in charge of changover between days and nights? That she should need to be promoted. Either way, that's what Calleigh's new position will be. If anyone reads this and finds it blaringly obvious that she shouldn't be a sergeant, please let me know. I know that it's likely not a big deal. I just thought, after near to seven years of being Horatio's under-study, she deserved a little promotion. So, no flames if that's wrong! I'm perfectly aware that it might be.

Even so, this is set not long after the current season. So consider future events as irrelevant and this is a sort of alternate fork in the road, type story. Or whatever floats your boat.

Also, chapter titles are based on the length of Calleigh and Eric's relationship.

* * *

Leaning back into the sofa as the credits for the movie both of them had likely slept through, rolled up the screen. Calleigh smiled contentedly as she played with Eric's toes. His feet were rested in her lap and his head had long ago, rolled back over the armrest. She wasn't quite sure if he was awake, but she smiled regardless, at the domesticity of the moment. Three years ago, she couldn't have even been paid to imagine this moment. Then she chuckled lightly and decided that if she'd been given a fair amount of time to think about it, she probably could have pictured it or something like it.

"What's so funny?" Eric asked, not moving his head or opening his eyes and Calleigh pinched his big toe lightly, making him flinch and laugh a little.

"Nothing really," She finally answered. "-just thinking."

Eric sat up on the sofa, pulling his legs up a little to make himself more comfortable before grabbing her foot, that was tucked up underneath her and dragging it into his lap to massage it. She grinned as she saw him notice the ruby red nail polish and when he gave her a look, that came with a raised eyebrow included, she simply mimicked his expression and gestured for him to keep on massaging.

They sat there in silence for some time. Calleigh flicked off the TV and the DVD player and they sat there listening to the ocean, that was nearly a block away, but sounded like it was just outside when the back door was open and the night was so quiet. And Eric found himself watching Calleigh's face and how her wide smile slowly slipped away to make room for a look of complete and utter concentration.

He watched her reach for the neatly wrapped bag on the coffee table and smiled as she started to quietly take apart it's contents and lay them across her lap. He watched her as she removed the barrel from her favourite 9mil and pop out the clip, setting it gently on the coffee table before setting out her cleaning tools.

He never thought he'd get used to the sight of a woman relaxing with a foot massage whilst cleaning her favourite gun, but never really thought he'd get used to being so intimate with Calleigh of all people either, and that had been a remarkably fool-proof transition for the both of them. So he supposed this wasn't so strange an occurance, considering she was Calleigh Duquesne afterall. What relaxed other women, what made other women happy, weren't necessarily the things that made her happy so he smiled and fated himself to simply watching her, revelling in the way she'd twisted her hair and made it fall over one shoulder, how the light from the kitchen cast shadows across her face and how the glow on her tanned yet still incredibly fair and firm skin made him want to kiss it.

He watched as she sucked in her bottom lip and he fought against the sudden start he felt, when she broke the silence. "Eric?"

"Yeah?" His voice was hoarse, but he hoped she'd chalk that up to the quiet and how much of Sense & Sensibility he'd slept through.

"You told me once, that you wanted kids." She was still looking down at her gun and he smiled, because he knew she wasn't going to look up at him, not for a conversation like this.

"Yeah, I do." It wasn't a question he ever had to think about. He wanted kids, plain and simple. He'd have a whole brood of green-eyed, dark-skinned, blonde-haired babies if she wanted them.

Her voice dropped a little lower. "Do you want to have them with me?"

He stopped massaging her foot and let his hands rest on top of it in order to emphasize what he was about to say. "Cal, what kind of a question was that?" She'd never doubted their relationship, never wondered where it was going and as soon as the words left his mouth, he realised what he really should have asked instead. "Wait, Cal, are you? I mean, you're not-"

She laughed almost humourlessly and he gripped her foot a little tighter as she stopped cleaning her gun in order to meet his eyes. Her's were shimmering only slightly and he had to fight the urge to envelope her in a massive hug, right there and then. This train of conversation was going somewhere and he had a feeling that he was milliseconds away from witnessing it's climax.

"No, I'm not." She clarified, running her thumb over the gun as she mulled over her next words, not for a moment letting her eyes drop from his. "But I think I want to be."

He didn't quite know what to say. There was nothing more he wanted in the world, than for his children to look like her. But regardless of how much he wanted it, he never thought that it'd come about this way. "But," He cleared his throat, looking towards the blank, expressionless TV in order to gather his thoughts. "-but I thought you'd want to get married first."

"Is that important to you?"

"Well," He studied her and how the sheen had all but disappeared from her eyes and been replaced by her determined yet warm gaze, patiently waiting and hoping for his aquiescence. "-no."

"It's never been all that important to me, Eric. We can get married if you want, if we want. But I think I'm at a time in my life when i'm ready for this. I'm nearly forty, Eric, and i've been thinking about it. Horatio's promoting me to run swing shift and your wages aren't being garnished anymore. I think we can do this, Eric and I'm sure now that I want to do it with you."

"You're absolutely sure?"

Setting her gun on the coffee table, Calleigh pulled her feet from his lap and crawled towards him on the couch, resting herself on his lap and straddling his waist in order to meet his eyes. "I want this, Eric." She breathed, resting her hands on his chest. "I really want this."

He looked for all the world, as though he was considering it, weighing up the pros and cons in order to give her the best, most rational answer. But in truth, he'd been hoping that she was going to tell him she was already pregnant, so that he could be done with the waiting and the hoping and the trying and they could start straight with the excitement. He was just trying to process exactly what this all meant.

"Well," He grinned, resting his hands on top of hers against his chest. "-I never thought we'd decide on having a baby while you were cleaning your gun." He smirked and a great wave of relief seemed to flood out of her and she relaxed against him, letting her body sink into his as she laughed.

"It clears my head." She defended and he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"I know."

"So," She breathed. "We're going to do this."

"Only if you promise to find better places to hide your guns by the time she's barrelling around on all fours."

Calleigh raised her eye-brow. "_She_?"

"Girl first. I know I complain all the time, about having older sisters. But I don't think I'd ever want it to be the other way around."

Calleigh laughed and kissed his lips gently. "I don't quite think it works that way. But you can hope for your girl and I'll just hope for a baby, of either variety."

"So diplomatic, Sergeant Duquesne." He teased.

"Gah, that still sounds so weird." Calleigh giggled, burying her face in his shirt.

"Yeah, I'm still not used to it." He laughed as he pushed her up off his chest so that he could climb up from the couch. Standing beside her, he held his hand out to her before grasping hers and pulling her to her feet. "So," He waggled his eyebrows and turned towards the bedroom door for a moment, before looking back at her. "-best get this started." He smirked cheekily and she rolled her eyes.

"You're just excited you're getting more sex out of this."

"And far too honest to lie about that fact, so," He tugged on her hand. "-off we go."

She just laughed out loud as she let him pull her towards the bedroom, leaving her half-cleaned gun and his dirty coffee mug on the table as he pushed her into the bedroom with his lips locked tightly with hers and kicked the door closed behind him.

TBC.

* * *

I also want people to know that I'm writing this as a sort of homage to my sister. She's due to give birth within the month and I've spoken to her many times regarding her choice to stay unmarried. I'm proud of this fact and proud of my sister for stepping up and telling us all that this is HER baby. So I'm trying to reflect that respectful tone in this story. I believe that in order to have a family, you don't need to be married. In order for Calleigh and Eric to love each other and love their children, marriage, while lovely, is not all together the most important thing. I think their strong enough in themselves, to feel that way. Calleigh in particular, i think. And so in a way, Calleigh represents my sister here. (Just incase you had any questions as to why i've done this this way.)


	2. Chapter 2

Please note: The "Daisy Duke" reference will be clarified in later chapters.

* * *

Eric threw his bag into his locker with far less finesse than he normally would, causing it to bang and rattle enough to draw the attention of a sleep-deprived Ryan who was stumbling into the lab with his bag on his shoulder and a rather distinct, five-o-clock shadow.

"Whoa man, what's eating you? She make you sleep on the couch?" He questioned his friend as he focused on his locker combination and Eric turned to watch him forget three numbers and try again.

"Shut up Wolfe. And nothing's wrong."

Ryan stopped what he was doing and met his friend's eye. "Yeah, that tone of voice really implies that nothing's bothering you." The sarcasm in his tone was anything but inconspicuous.

"Wolfe, just give it a rest, alright." He grumbled. "And for god's sake, go shave before H sees you."

Ryan brushed at his jaw and winced when he felt it bristle his fingers. "You're deflecting." He responded nonchalantly.

After a long silence, Eric sat down on the bench behind the lockers. "We're trying to have a baby."

"You and Calleigh!?" Wolfe spluttered and Eric jumped to his feet to shoosh the man before anyone heard.

"Don't say anything, alright. I haven't told H we're together yet."

Ryan, catching up with his wayward common sense, lowered his voice to a whisper and moved closer to Eric. "You guys are trying to have a baby? Calleigh seriously wants a baby?"

"Yes, seriously."

"And you...?"

"...want what she wants. More than anything." Eric finished and Ryan nodded, pondering the thought.

"This is big."

"Not as big as our case load if Calleigh finds out I told you, or if you tell anyone else." Eric warned and Ryan threw his arms up in surrender.

"Trust me, I know better than to cross Calleigh. When are you gonna tell H?"

"Today. First thing, if I can. I want to have it over and done with when she gets here at two. She's got an appointment for a test today."

Ryan clapped Eric on the back and bit his lip. "Well, good luck."

"That's the best you've got?" Eric looked apprehensive, calling after Ryan as he stood to head in search of a mirror.

"Sorry man, you're in uncharted territory here. Telling H you've been dating Calleigh, his protege, without his knowledge? I don't even think i'd survive being a fly on that wall." Ryan tried to offer him a reassuring smile, but it fell rather flat over Eric's growing anxiety. He hadn't lied, he did want what Calleigh wanted and he'd been hoping from the get-go, that kids were in their future, but just a couple of months ago the future had seemed so much further away.

**

Eric slowly walked up to Horatio on the steps of the Crime lab, feeling like a poor boy begging a father for the honor of marrying his daughter, and wincing against the glare of the sun as his boss inclinded his head and smiled. "Eric," He greeted. "You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yeah, H," Eric turned his back to the sun and internally faught with how he was going to say what he needed to say. "-I've got something to tell you."

"Alright, Eric, is it case related?" Eric shook his head and Horatio nodded. "Well I'm all ears."

Eric took a deep breath and swallowed, wishing he could turn back towards the sun because at least then he'd have something to distract his eyes from Horatio's very compassionate, almost empathetic expression.

"For about eight months now," He paused, not sure if he could continue. Clearing his throat he started again. "For about eight months now, Calleigh and I have been in a relationship."

Horatio was silent, twisting his sunglasses between his fingers and staring across the street at the police cars and Hummers that lined the lot. Eric didn't know what he was thinking, couldn't possibly imagine what was going on inside the man's head but as his worse case scenario mind taught him, it couldn't be great.

"Eight months?" He questioned and Eric nodded, wisely keeping silent. "And you felt you needed to keep it from me?"

"We talked about it, but with IAB and everything that was going on at the time, we felt that it was probably best if you didn't know anything. I'm sorry, H."

"Eric," He turned his head to meet the younger man's eyes and he smiled tightly. "-it's alright."

Eric let out a breath in relief and smiled widely. "Thanks, H, that-"

Horatio cut him off. "Is everything alright, with the pair of you?" Eric looked at him strangely and Horatio decided to clarify. "Why have you decided to come to me with this now?"

"Oh," Eric grinned. "-well, we talked about it and about a month and a half ago, we decided to try for a baby. I just, I wanted you to know before you got any surprises." Eric noticed that Horatio's eyebrows started to raise, but he pushed on. "Calleigh's got a doctor's appointment today so I thought now was the best time."

Nodding, Horatio seemed to take longer than normal to process the information and Eric decided to wait patiently on the man. Glancing down the steps and distracting his eyes with a criminal in hand-cuffs being ushered into a police car and Frank making his way towards them.

"Alright, Eric. Considering that Calleigh has her own team now, Rick has no ground to stand on. So if he comes to you, I want you to speak to me before you say anything, do you understand?"

Eric nodded, realising that this professionalism was Horatio's back-handed way of giving them his blessing. He knew he'd show some kind of softer side, when Calleigh showed up that afternoon, but he favoured this no-nonsense way that Horatio was dealing with the situation. It was what he was comfortable with, it was what he knew.

"H, I'm really sorry we didn't tell you sooner." Eric apologised again and he noticed Frank step up beside them with a bewildered expression on his face, but said nothing.

"What's done is done, Eric and it can't be changed. Just, no more secrets, alright."

Eric nodded and patted Frank on the shoulder as a form of greeting before turning away and dashing inside. He saw Frank turn to Horatio as he passed the window and wondered, in passing, if Horatio had told Frank everything. But he knew he wouldn't, Horatio would leave that to Calleigh just as he would because they both knew Frank would need to hear the words from his little Daisy Duke herself.

**

"Hey, Eric, did you run those prints that Natalia pulled off the trunk of the car yet?" Eric looked up from his computer.

"Yeah, i'm running them through AFIS now, no matches so far."

"So," Ryan crossed his arms over his chest and bit his lip. "-how'd it go?"

Eric rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Wolfe, you're worse than the women."

"Whatever, how'd it go?"

"Fine. H didn't shoot me, as you can see. It's fine."

"Really?"

"No bullet holes." Eric patted his own chest, as if it emphasize his point.

"Then you didn't tell him about the baby thing?"

Eric was about to answer, when Natalia and Valera both walked into the lab at the same time, wide-eyed and curious. "What baby thing?" They asked in unison and Eric gave Ryan a look that could kill a bull at a hundred paces and Ryan immediately clammed up.

"Nothing." Eric coughed and the girls looked between the two with narrowed eyes.

"Doesn't seem like nothing." Natalia commented, seemingly annoyed but likely not really.

"Well it is, just a cold case, doesn't even matter." Eric tapped at his keyboard, almost willing the computer to search faster so that he could have a distraction. He didn't want to think, or speak about the fact that right at that moment, Calleigh was at the doctor's surgery finding out if they were having a baby or not. He didn't want the girls to run screaming excitedly through the lab before he even had word from Calleigh so he needed to ensure Ryan's silence, as well as his own.

"I-" Ryan started to speak, but Eric quickly cut him off.

"Shut up, Wolfe." He warned, which only made the girls even more intrigued.

"Fine, Nat, if they don't want to tell us we'll just find out some other way." Valera tipped her head up like an aloof cat and grabbed for the other woman's hand, leading her out of the lab without another word leaving the men both curious as to what they'd initially come for and worried about what other way they could possibly find out.

**

Several hours later Eric found his way towards the locker room. He'd watched from behind the glass walls as Horatio had interrogated their suspect, broken him down and subsequently, broken the case along with it. His paperwork was as up to date as it was going to get and the rest of the team had already left for the night. Standing by the door, he watched silently as he noticed Calleigh with her head in her locker, shuffling through her things and completely unaware of the fact she was being watched.

He hadn't seen her arrive earlier, nor had she come to him in the lab and that already had him on edge. But when she stood up a little straighter, looking as though she was giving up on her search, he noticed the red rims around her eyes and his heart nearly broke.

"Cal," He said softly, stepping into the darkened room and she turned her head only slightly. Acknowledging him, but not looking at him.

"Hi." She practically whispered and he wanted to take her into his arms, but he stopped himself.

"How did it-"

She cut him off as she quickly turned to meet his eyes. "The home test was a false positive. I'm-" She choked on her words for a moment. "Eric, i'm not pregnant." She sobbed and before he felt two heartbeats in succession, he had his arms wrapped around her and his hand on the back of her head as she buried her face in his chest.

Whispering soothing words, he brushed her hair against her back, trying to calm her down. "It's alright, Cal, we'll try again. We knew this was going to be tough."

"I know, I just-" She stood up straighter and dabbed at her eyes, trying not to smear her make-up as she went. "-I just really hoped."

"I know," cupping her face with both hands, he smiled and kissed her forehead. "I know. We're just going to have to keep trying."

Taking a deep breath, she smiled and quickly glanced in the mirror inside her locker, to check her mascara before straightening her blouse. "I guess i'm just being silly. I should get back to work."

Eric grinned because if there wasn't a picture of Horatio beside the definition of professionalism in the dictionary, there was most definately one of Calleigh.

"You're not being silly." He smirked, grasping her hand and just holding it. "I'll see you tonight? I'm gonna wait up."

"Eric you don't have to-"

"I want to." He kissed her lips chastely and she smiled, reluctantly letting go of his hand and brushing past him to head back out into the lab.

"Alright, I'll see you tonight."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to every one that has reviewed this so far. I really appreciate the support, especially because i'm so new to the CSI: Miami fandom. I'm very grateful for the warm welcome and the lovely words! It means a lot to me.

Also, I know that all the "Dukes of Hazzard" references may seem a little weird and somewhat out of character right now, but i promise there is a rather funny reason for it.

* * *

"Hands where we can see them!" Calleigh screamed from behind her open Hummer door that was parked in the loading dock of the Moonlight Mojito Club. She had her gun trained on the suspect and with her peripheral vision, could see Frank in much the same postion on her passenger side. They'd driven up to question Larry Eckles outside his gutter-level Miami night-club about the disappearance of his sister-in-law, when all of of a sudden, as Frank pulled his badge and identified them, the man had opened fire with a double-barrel shot gun.

Taking the opportunity that came to her, when Calleigh noticed he'd run out of shells and could see his spares laying nearly a metre behind him, she took advantage of the dim dusk light and dashed out from behind her door, hearing the sound of Frank's protest as she ran towards him and tackled him to the ground. With the wind nearly knocked out of her and her long blonde hair, curtaining her vision, she kicked the shot-gun away and with a knee to his stomach, stopped him trying to grab for it long enough for Frank to cuff him.

Calleigh lay on the ground, watching as Frank pulled the man to his feet, read him his rights and shoved him towards the nearest uniformed officer. "Y'alright?" He questioned, turning back to her and offering her his hand.

She took another deep breath before taking the offered hand and staggering to her feet. She needed his shoulder to lean on as she re-adjusted her shoe. Apparently four-inch heels weren't the best foot wear for suspect diving. Taking it as a win that her Gucci pumps weren't hurt in the apprehending of the suspect, Calleigh patted Frank on the shoulder and smiled. "Thanks Frank, I'm fine."

"You sure, I mean, I've seen you angry but that was just-"

Calleigh laughed and picked her gun up off the ground. Slipping it into it's holster as she smiled. "He was ultimately wasting time we could have spent solving this case. I saw an opening and I took it." Shrugging, she turned on her heel and headed for the car but when Frank grabbed her elbow and pulled her back to face him, a look of confusion crossed her face. "Frank, what are you-"

He cut her off. "I'm not entirely sure you should take those kinds of openings."

She narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about, no one else was in a position to take it."

Frank let his eyes fall to the ground for a moment and looked out over the scene. Ensuring that they were alone, he lowered his voice. "Horatio told me, about you and Eric."

Calleigh cleared her throat and pulled her arm away slowly. "I really don't think that this is the right time to-" She stopped short, studying his face before casting her eyes down. "I'm surprised, I didn't think he'd want to tell you." She studied his face as he shrugged then licked her lip nervously as she straightened her blouse. "I suppose then you know about what we're trying to do?"

"Yeah, I don't think he wanted to tell me but," He smiled reasuringly, taking an almost imperceptible step closer to her. "-I think it's good. It's a bit backwards, but it's good. I'd just appreciate it if you didn't do things like this anymore."

"I'm not pregnant right now, Frank." She tried for levity, but it fell flat on his serious expression.

"But you might be soon. I'm just watchin' out for ya, Daisy."

Calleigh laughed out loud and in keeping with their private joke, reached up to squeeze his bicep lovingly. "Thanks Uncle Jesse."

**

"Cal!" Eric called up the hallway as he walked into the house with a large box in his arms. When she didn't answer, he had to struggle to close the front door by himself, eventually giving up and just kicking it closed.

"Cal!" He called again, hearing a faint mutter coming from the other end of the house. Setting the box on the floor beside the kitchen counter, he jogged back to lock the front door and then headed in the direction he'd heard her voice.

"Where are you?" He questioned as he got closer.

"I said, I'm in here." She answered and he realised that her voice was coming from the bedroom. He was arriving at their house after his shift on her day off, he had no doubts as to where she currently was. Stepping into the room, he grinned when he noticed her sitting up in the bed with every pillow they owned, bunched up behind her and a large bowl of un-buttered popcorn resting on the bed.

"What are you watching?" He asked as he made himself comfortable on his side of the bed, pushing the popcorn aside and stealing a few kernels as he grinned up at her.

"I was watching 'Pride and Predjudice' but I guess i'll need to stop it now." She rolled her eyes, grabbing her popcorn bowl and hugging it to her chest, out of his reach.

"You're on a bit of a Jane Austen kick, aren't you. And why would you need to stop it?"

"Firstly, Eric, I'm astonished that you know both 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Pride and Predjudice' are by Jane Austen aside the fact that we watched Sense and Sensibility only once, _months_ ago, and secondly, because every time I start a movie without you, you make me go back and watch it from the beginning and then you sleep through it anyway!" She snapped, but he knew she wasn't angry, it was a game they played.

He shrugged. "Come here, i've got something for you." He grabbed her hand and started pulling her from the bed. Quickly, Calleigh safely stowed her popcorn on the nightstand and tumbled off the bed after him, only just catching her feet on solid ground instead of falling flat on her face.

"Eric, slow down!" She whined, grabbing for her robe as they passed the bedroom door, though she was unable to reach it before he was pulling her out into the hallway and towards the kitchen. "Gosh, what's so important that you have to strain my already bruised muscles? I did take down an armed suspect last night, remember?"

"This." He stood triumphant. Like a little boy who'd just learnt what the immense satisfaction of gift-giving felt like and had bestowed it on a less than exhuberant girl.

"It's a box." She stated, looking up at him and trying to ignore how cold the tiles were beneath her feet.

"It's not just any box."

"It's a card-board box?" She questioned, sarcastically.

"It's a box with a very special gift inside."

"And what's that?"

"Open it."

"Seriously, Delko, I've shot men for less."

Eric laughed. "Just open it."

Calleigh eyed him dubiously before taking a step towards the box and slowly reaching down to grasp the lid. She knew he was grinning behind her and with an awkward tug, she pulled the lid free and peered inside. And what she saw when she looked inside, nearly took her breath away.

"Oh, Eric." Reaching in, Calleigh wrapped her hands around the tiny white kitten and lifted it up to her chest as she stood and turned around to face Eric. His smile brightened when he saw the tears of joy in her eyes and he stepped up to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he lifted his hand to pet the little cat's fluffy head. "Eric, he's beautiful."

"He's all yours. I thought we'd need a pet to go with our new family, so here he is." Eric nuzzled the cat's little nose with his own, and all the while, Calleigh was staring up at him. "What's his name?" He questioned, watching the cat pawing at Calleigh's cheek with a grin.

"I don't know. I always wanted to name a cat Rajah. It means 'King' in Hindu." Eric looked down at the cat that was already falling asleep with it's head on Calleigh's shoulder then back up to Calleigh's eyes.

"Rajah it is." Leaning down, he kissed her lips deeply. Though they both laughed when little Rajah tried to push his fury head up between the two of them. Eric poked the Cat's head back down with a smirk and Calleigh laughed as he kissed her again.

**

"Eric, i'm going to be late." Calleigh growled in frustration as she tried to push his hands away from her hips. But he stood strong, pressing his body into hers and in turn, pushing her into the kitchen counter.

"Aw, Cal, just one more minute?" He whined, fighting to press kisses to her throat as she squirmed and moaned at the same time.

"Seriously, Eric, I'm the boss, if i'm late-" She let the sentance hang, because both of them knew the consequences. "We can finish this tonight." She promised quietly, with a suggestive rise of her left eyebrow as she slipped out from between him and the bench.

"If it's going to be anything like this morning, i'll wait up."

Calleigh didn't comment, just smiled to herself as she pulled her shoes on, heading down the hallway.

"Don't forget to feed Rajah." Calleigh called as she petted the kitten's head. Grabbing her hand-bag and her gun, she headed for the front door, smirking at the sound of the cat's bell as he followed her. "Eric?" She called, with her hand on the door-knob as she pulled her keys out of her bag.

"Yeah!" He jogged out of the kitchen, scooping up the tiny cat as he went. "Yeah, i'll feed him." He kissed her lips quickly and with one last pet on the head for Rajah, Calleigh dashed out of the house, towards her Crossfire.

Eric watched her drive away, embarressing himself as he held the cat's paw up as if he were waving goodbye. When her car disappeared down the street, he plonked the cat back down in the hall and made his way back to the kitchen to grab a beer and a packet of chips, hearing Rajah's over-sized bell as he followed.

**

"Hey Natalia," Calleigh smiled as she walked into the locker room with a wide grin on her face. "-you're heading out?"

"Hey Searg," Natalia smirked and Calleigh rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, shifts over. We had a triple this morning, mother, daughter and nephew. Turned out it was the mother's brother and his girlfriend, twenty years younger and the best-friend of his son. I'm literally dying in my stilettos." She rolled her eyes as she pulled her hand-bag from her locker and stowed her gun.

Calleigh nodded, reaching up to tuck her handbag inside. Standing on her tip-toes she grabbed her department-issue holster, switching it with her personal one and placed that on top of her hand bag.

"How was your day off?" Natalia asked, as she closed her locker and sat down on the bench, willing to sit and wait the few minutes it took Calleigh to get ready, it was the most the two friends really saw of each other and over the last few months, they'd learnt to savour it.

"It was good," Calleigh grinned and Natalia could hear it in her voice. "-great even."

"Really? And what did our little Scuba boy do, to make the day so great?"

Calleigh chuckled at the playful lilt in her friend's voice and turned around to meet her eyes. "He bought me a kitten. It's this little white ball of fluff, barely bigger than the palm of his hand. It's the most adorable thing he's ever done."

"Aww, that's so cute."

"I know, it's the funniest little animal, such a personality. Last night, he used his little head to push my book right off my lap." She laughed, remembering how little Rajah had then curled up happily on her lap, making angry faces at Eric whenever he tried to move him.

"What did you call it?"

"His name is Rajah."

"Ooh, the king of the house, I like it. So that was your day off, what about his today? Just as great?"

Calleigh turned back around, attempting to hide her blush in her locker as she answered softly. "Yeah, i'd say so." She bit her lip and she knew Natalia had gotten the point, she wasn't going to elaborate further, because if she even so much as mentioned that she and Eric hadn't left the bedroom until nearly one in the afternoon, she'd see right through her.

Natalia just laughed and stood up to pat her friend on the back. "Well alright then. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Yeah," Calleigh smiled and turned around to quickly hug her. "Sure." Closing her locker, she watched Natalia leave before heading out the opposite door, towards reception so that she could check her messages and find Frank.

Since she'd been reassigned to the afternoon shift, Frank -on Horatio's assistance- had also been reassigned as her liason with homicide. A fact which she was very grateful for, because while she knew that she was compentant in her job, and not promoted without good reason. Having that familiar face with her when her cases had moved on from morning murders on the beach, to fully functioning night-clubs, bars and Miami hot-spots, made her feel much more at ease.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, this is a little later than I'd hoped, but I had a little bit of a writer's block there for a few days and I was also wrapped up in some family issues. Issues that will also, likely, take over this coming weekend as well. (And they say I need to find a new job, who has the _time_! LOL.)

For those interested, last weekend my sister finally gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Sophie Anne. She's absolutely stunning and her Tante (me!) is very very proud of her. She's perfect and I dedicate this story to her and my sister, as you know.

* * *

"Hey Calleigh," Frank smiled, waving his hand with a pen dangling from his fingers as Calleigh nodded her head in his direction and ducked under the yellow tape that was dividing their crime-scene from the still wandering patrons of the club. He was standing by the bar, questioning the barman as he watched her place her kit down beside the body and pop it open before he turned back to the man. The barman was tall, with bleached blonde, spiky hair and his blaze attitude was starting to grate on the Texan. "So you're saying that you didn't see anything."

"That's right. I was tending bar, the music was pumping and the girl screamed so loud everyone heard it. But no one saw a thing."

"You didn't see anyone suspicious, floating around earlier in the night?" Frank questioned, dangling his pen over his still blank notepad.

"This ain't exactly the Ritz, Tex." The barman crossed his arms over his chest, a signal Frank knew, meant there was nothing more he was likely to share that would do them any good. Rolling his eyes, he signalled for the uniformed officer to escort the barman out of the club before he tucked his notepad in his pocket and made his way over to Calleigh.

"Found anything?"

She looked up at him, with a mischievous smirk on her face and held up her tweezers with a shell casing dangling off them. "Looks like a .45. The shot was a through and through so I'm going to have to scope out the club for the remnants of my bullet."

"Anything else?"

Calleigh eyed him. "I just got here, Frank." She said sweetly, batting her eyelashes ever so subtly and he glanced away. But before he could set his eyes on her again, the ceiling ahead of him caught his eye.

"What's that?" He pointed and Calleigh turned around in her spot.

"Looks like the ceiling is bowed." She frowned, curious. Frank raised his eyebrows and Calleigh nodded so he grabbed a pool cue from the rack on the wall and gently poked at it. Standing up, Calleigh followed him but suddenly jumped back when the ceiling panel came crashing down onto the pool table in a thick cloud of dust and drywall. Calleigh coughed and fanned it away from her face as she felt her way over to Frank. Once her hand fell on his shoulder, she could see the dust clearing and realised what lay before them.

"Looks like he's been here a while." Frank jested, but Calleigh didn't find it as funny as she normally would. Feeling her face heat up as the smell of the corpse's decomposing flesh hit her senses, she lost control and ran from the room with her hand pressed tightly over her mouth. "Calleigh!" He called after her, grabbing the arm of an officer and quickly instructing him to watch over the scene when he chased after her. "Calleigh!" He called again, but she continued to run out through the crowd of fascinated club-goers all ogling for a glimpse of the crime. She pushed through the people, stumbling partway down the darkened street until she found the nearest trashcan and emptied her stomach into it.

Frank had a brief moment of not having a clue what to do. But as she continued to cough and retch, he gently pulled her long blonde hair out of her face and held it as he rested a hand on her back, attempting to soothe her. Her gloved hands gripped the edge of the trashcan as she breathed heavily, aching for it to stop only to feel the bile rising in her throat again. "Calleigh," He soothed and her breathing deepened. She lent back into his hand slowly. And gently he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she fell into him.

"I'm ok," She whispered and though Frank nodded, his brow was creased with worry.

"Are you sure?"

"I," She breathed but no end to the sentence came out.

"I think you need a doctor."

"No, I'm fine." She insisted.

"I've never seen you pale at a crime scene before."

Pushing away from him, she shook her head and balanced herself before standing on her own two stilettos. "Frank, I'm fine, I promise you." She smiled, attempting to reassure him, regardless of her pallor and the slight wobble in her right foot. "I'm fine." She insisted again, stepping back from him and he was starting to wonder if three 'I'm fine's constituted her attempting to prove it to herself, instead of him.

Finally, Frank let her go and Calleigh turned on her heel, intent to head straight back into the crime scene. But he watched her, watched how when she stepped on her left foot, she was able to steady herself, but as her right foot hit the pavement she stumbled and muttered. "I can't see." Before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed backwards into his awaiting arms.

Brushing the hair out of her face as she lay unconscious in his arms, Frank had to juggle to get his cell-phone out of his pocket and call for an Ambulance.

**

"Horatio, what's going on?" Eric boomed, making his way down the green and white, striped corridor that led to the emergency waiting room. He could see Horatio waiting in front of the wide double doors with Frank sitting in a chair against the wall and regardless of his haste, noticed the sunglasses his boss had dangling between his fingers and wondered if the man ever went anywhere without them. Noting the dark suit and pressed green shirt he was wearing, he also wondered if he ever went home. Horatio looked up at him, taking a deep breath, no doubt preparing himself for for Eric's panic.

Running his fingers over his closely shaved head, Eric rested his hand on his hip anxiously. Bunching his fingers in the loose fabric of the sweater he'd pulled on over his tracksuit pants when he'd staggered out of bed, slipped his feet into a pair of sandals and bolted out the door after he'd gotten the call that Calleigh was in the hospital.

"She's stable, Eric, she's alright." He insisted with a kind smile and when Eric finally took the chance to breathe, he realised how tired his friend looked. "She's going to be fine." Horatio felt he needed to reiterate and Eric grinned stupidly, brushing a hand over his face.

"Well, that's a relief."

Horatio nodded, adjusting his footing as Eric attempted to see through the tiny glass panels in the doors. "H, what happened?"

"What I've gathered from Detective Tripp, is that she collapsed at the scene."

"Why?"

"We're unsure."

"Where is she? Can I see her?"

Just as Horatio was about to answer, a petite nurse pushed her way through the doors, nearly knocking into Horatio's back if he hadn't stepped aside. "Calleigh Duquesne." She stated.

Eric raised his hand. "She's my girlfriend, is she alright?"

The nurse smiled kindly and clasped her hands in front of her. "Yes, she's doing fine. Her blood glucose level was terribly high, which caused her vomiting and the collapse. She tells me that she'd been feeling nauseous and tired for quite some time but the trigger was the smell from a crime scene?" She questioned, eyeing Horatio.

He nodded. "Yes, though I'm sure the details of it are irrelevant."

The nurse smiled. "She already filled me in and they are." Turning back to Eric, she smiled again. "Her glucose levels are back within a respectable range although she's been diagnosed with Gestational diabetes." When Eric frowned, she continued on in order to clarify. "Women her age are at a higher risk of developing the condition. But it is manageable."

"I'm sorry, what does that mean?"

"The hormones her body is releasing right now, have increased her resistance to insulin. Her glucose tolerance has been impaired."

Eric shook his head, attempting to clear the cobwebs of sleep before focusing his eyes on the nurse again. "I'm sorry, I don't think I'm following. Calleigh has Diabetes?"

She nodded. "Yes, a form of diabetes that we normally test for after a woman's first trimester. But in Calleigh's case, it's onset is a little earlier. It's not common, but it does happen."

"Hold on," Eric rubbed a hand over his face. "-I may have just dragged myself out of bed and it could be because it's near to midnight, but did you just say, first trimester?"

The nurse laughed but stopped herself when she realised Eric was deathly serious. "Yes. You didn't know she was pregnant?"

"No, I," Eric shared a glance with Horatio before looking up at the closed doors. Suddenly, he turned back to the nurse. "Does she know?"

"No one has spoken to her, we assumed because she was more than ten weeks, that she already knew."

"Ten weeks," Eric breathed as his lips spread into a smile and he met eyes with Horatio. "H,"

His friend nodded with a grin, turning towards the small woman. "Could you please let him in to see her?"

"Of course." The nurse grasped his elbow and Eric followed her through the doors, nodding behind him at the two men when Frank stood up and joined Horatio.

**

"Cal," Eric whispered and her eyes flickered. "Calleigh." He sing-songed and she smiled lightly in her sleep, before her eyes fluttered open and rested on his face.

"Hey," She grinned sleepily, pulling herself up in the bed as he sat down beside her and took her hand into his.

"You really scared me."

"I'm sorry." She squeezed his hand and he smiled. "I think I might have terrified Frank a little too." She laughed and Eric reached up to brush her hair away from her face.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's just worried about you."

"Do they know what happened?"

Eric took a deep breath and re-adjusted himself on the bed, looking down at her seriously and nodding. "Yes. Cal," He smiled widely and noticed that her face was flushed, the worry and suspense building from the smile she could see on his lips, was killing her. "-you didn't know you were pregnant?"

Calleigh coughed as tears burst from her eyes. "No." A grin came and went on her face as she stumbled over the concept in her mind. "I," She swallowed, holding his hand tighter as she looked up at the ceiling. "My period was irregular, but it wasn't-" He shrugged. "-I suppose that happens but," She set her eyes back on his. "Really?"

Leaning forward, Eric kissed her forehead before pressing his cheek to hers. "We're having a baby, Cal."

Tears sprang from her eyes as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer until all he could do to stay upright was wrap his arms around her waist and prop his elbows up on the bed as she laughed through tears and smiles.


	5. Chapter 5

***Flashback three months.**

_Calleigh sat with her hands clasped tightly around the brochure in her hand. The nurse had kindly handed it to her, as she took down her name and medical insurance information before indicating that she take a seat. She'd nodded hesitantly, turning in her spot to scope out the room for a seat that was far enough away from the door that she didn't feel so exposed and close enough that she'd hear the doctor call her name. She couldn't quite fathom that she was here. She'd always thought that she'd find herself in a relationship that worked as well as she could hope, do what comes naturally with the man who made her breath quicken - whoever he may have been in the eyes of her younger, more hopeful, self - and find herself smiling down at a small stick that happily declared that she was pregnant._

_But like everything in her life, it was proving to be everything short of easy. But if she was honest with herself, she was anything but surprised. Because now that she knew she wanted it, as whole-heartedly as she'd stood before her father and told him she was moving to Miami to take the position as the head of the Ballistics lab the night after her twenty-fifth birthday party, she knew she'd have to work herself to the bone to get it just as she had done then. She watched the number on the monitor above the reception desk, change from twenty-nine to thirty and she found herself glancing down at the small place-card in her hand, reading the bolded forty-five and internally rolling her eyes._

_She watched the doors anxiously, twisting the brochure she hadn't even glanced at, between her fingers. It was something about In-vitro-fertilisation, and while she knew that was profoundly the reason she was sitting in an incredibly uncomfortable waiting-room chair, she couldn't quite bring herself to process that the decision she'd made almost three months ago as she lay on the couch with Eric, had stumbled it's way to this moment. She was excited and she was scared, two things that Calleigh Duquesne rarely emphasised that she was feeling. And while she watched the number tick over again and glanced at the woman who's name was called, she found herself wistfully hoping that today she'd finally get some good news._

_Waiting for an IBIS match on a serial murder case had nothing on the anxiety of this moment._

_"Hey," Calleigh looked up suddenly, as Eric poked his head around the door and quietly slipped into the room. "-I was scared I wouldn't make it." He whispered and internally she laughed because typically, he'd be the kind of man to assume that library etiquette should naturally be extended to hospital waiting rooms, clinics and GPs._

_"Hey," She answered, slipping her hand into his as he moved the newspapers from the seat beside her and sat down. "-where were you?"_

_"I had some things to finish up for Wolfe. Have you seen the doctor yet?"_

_Calleigh held up her number with a frown. He glanced between her and the board, then smirked and rested his hand against her lower back, rubbing gently as she leaned into him._

***Present day**

Eric watched from his chair by the window as the nurse went over Calleigh's new daily routine. He flinched every time the words needle and insulin were mentioned, particularly when he eves-dropped on the fact she'd need to inject herself with the stuff, four times a day. Calleigh seemed to be taking it all in her stride, the idea of being pregnant, making her more jovial than he'd seen her in months. Calleigh caught his eye as the nurse was explaining to her, how to use her glucose meter and she narrowed her eyes at him, causing him to laugh gently and look back out the window.

Later on in the day, she was released to her own care and while Eric insisted on taking her home, she seemed to have other plans as she gripped his thigh and firmly insisted that he take them back to the lab.

***Flashback three months**

_"Now, Calleigh, you say that you've been trying for three months?" She nodded, watching the doctor intensely as he looked over her file._

_"We've had a few false positives," She glanced toward Eric, who squeezed her hand before she looked back over to the doctor. "I'm just wondering if there is something that we're doing or not doing? Something that might be able to help us."_

_"You have a fairly high stress job, is that correct?" _

_Calleigh nodded. "Yes, myself and my partner are crime scene investigators." For the first time since they'd entered the room and made their introductions, the doctor glanced up at Eric. In that moment, Eric wasn't all too fond of the man, but knowing that his only interest was in Calleigh's wellbeing and their prospective parenthood he forced a nod._

_"Mr Delko, does your family have any history of infertility, sterility or birth defects?"_

_Eric frowned, running his thumb over the back of Calleigh's hand, reassuringly. "No, we're all healthy. My sisters all have healthy, happy children."_

_"Calleigh, you had Polycysitc ovary syndrome when you were younger, that's correct?"_

_She nodded. "Yes, but I've maintained a low-carbohydrate diet since I was sixteen. I exercise regularly. I was told that it shouldn't be a problem."_

_"I don't believe that it is," The doctor rested his elbows on the desk and slowly removed his glasses. "-but the reality is, we need to bear it in mind. Women with PCOS when they're younger, have increased risk of infertility, later in life." When her mouth dropped open and her bottom lip quivered slightly, the doctor held up his hand, halting her panic for a moment. "Now, I'm not saying that this is the case with you. As you said, you're healthy, exercise regularly. My advice to you is that you simply, keep trying. I don't believe that IVF is a step we need to take at this time."_

_"But isn't it something worth considering?" Calleigh questioned._

_The doctor shook his head. "We really recommend that couples try for at least twelve months before we consider IVF. It's a fairly invasive procedure that is preferably avoidable, particularly if you give yourself enough time to fall pregnant naturally. You have a very high stress occupation which is not so much a hindrance as it is a lack of help. What you need to do is give your body time."_

***Present day**

Eyeing Eric demurely as he held a chair out for her, Calleigh delicately took her seat across from Horatio's desk as she watched him sit down beside her out of the corner of her eye. She'd wanted to speak to Horatio as soon as she was released from the hospital, knowing that as excited as the last twenty-four hours had made her, she'd tossed and turned all night over the fact that she'd left the crime-scene in a state of upheaval. Evidence, her kit and a partially decomposed body were left virtually unattended by any member of her team and she felt that she was entitled to making a formal apology, if not an explanation.

"Calleigh," Horatio smiled gently, resting his hands on his desk. "-how are you feeling?"

"Like a pin-cushion," She jested and both Horatio and Eric chuckled. "but otherwise, fine. Much better." She admonished, when his expression turned to one of serious concern and she smiled.

"Actually, H," Eric spoke up and Calleigh adjusted herself in her seat. "-we came to talk to you about Calleigh's workload, now that we know she's nearly three months along."

Horatio nodded. "Yes, well, I've already assessed the situation and it's been agreed that for the time being, you're going to be re-assigned to the dayshift. It's not going to sit quite comfortably on Rick's shoulders, but he's going to have to brave it because I won't have you awake, processing evidence at all hours of the night."

Calleigh nodded, biting her lip. "And my field work?"

"Restricted, but not suspended." He smiled, knowing that if he were to revoke Calleigh's right to field work, he'd be shooting himself in the proverbial foot.

"Okay," She twisted one hand in the other in her lap. "-Horatio. About last night's case,"

He cut her off. "Don't worry about it. Detective Tripp and Landau finished processing the scene, your evidence was untouched the the scene has been secured."

"What about the body that fell through the ceiling?" She questioned, feeling a slight quiver in her throat at the memory of it, but pushing it back down.

"He was identified as the owner of the club. But I don't want you to worry about it. Frank has it covered. I want you to go home, get some rest and I'll see the pair of you on Monday."

"Thank H."

Calleigh looked up at Eric as he rested his hands on the back of her chair, waiting patiently for her to stand. She did, rising from her seat and brushing her hands along the front of her pants before reaching out to shake Horatio's hand. She smiled genuinely, when he held on just a little bit longer than normal and while he didn't schmooze her with congratulations, she could see it behind his eyes. He and Eric shared a glance, as Calleigh ducked her head and made her way towards the door before turning back to wait. The two men shared a look that said more than hers had and she smiled, because in many ways she had the honour of recognising, these two men so close to her really were like brothers.


	6. Chapter 6

I know that I haven't updated this story for a while and I'm sorry. I know that a lot of you are enjoying this story, but within my weird, warped little brain, the fact that this story is devoid of any and all angst (give or take a few of Calleigh's woes) it's been put on the back-burner, in favour of my other stories. Angst is kind of my thing. Bittersweet, philosophical and almost whimsical tales. So this story is something different, something more grounded. Hence, I'm having a little more trouble with it.

Regardless of that, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it's just a bit of uselessness that'll hopefully blend in to something worthwhile down the track. But I do promise to work on it.

* * *

"Eric!" Glancing up from his boot, that was sitting on the coffee table, waiting to be pulled onto his foot. Eric's first instinct was to panic. Jumping up and forgetting about his boot, he bolted down the hall, stumbling over Calleigh's ornamental pull-pony before bursting in the door with desperation on his lips.

"What's the problem?" He questioned. But before she was able to answer, there was already a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Because there she was, standing in the center of their bedroom surrounded by a massacre of blouses and shoes with her hair curled and styled with a dramatic bounce in it that made him smirk at her from across the room, every year. Her feet were bare and dare he think it, a little swollen. Her shorts were, shorter than they'd seemed last year but still sexy as hell and frayed at the edges but what had made him smirk and as the seconds drew out, what made him start to snicker was the 'Save a horse, Ride a Cowboy' shirt that was stretched for all it was worth, across her belly. As far as he was concerned, up until now her baby weight had been all but non-exsistant. But if he remembered back to the previous year, that shirt didn't leave a lot to the imagination to begin with. She was a little thicker, but she looked healthy and happy and as he cast his eyes down, he was proud to notice that the shorts still fit.

"I look ridiculous." She stated, stomping her foot and he had to laugh just a little. She glared at him and he cleared his throat. Obviously she was in no mood to see the funny side of a lasso stretched across her enlarged chest.

"You don't look ridiculous." He placated. "The shirt's just a little small, that's all, you knew this would come."

"But people are counting on me to be this character, Eric, it's tradition." There was the foot-stomp again and he crossed the room, resting his hands on her hips until she relented being angry at him instead of the shirt, and rested her hands on top of his.

"How about we find you another shirt?" He offered and she glanced away, considering it.

"But i've worn this shirt every year."

"Change has to come sometime. Look at us." He grinned and she slowly let a smile creep onto her face.

"Yeah, that's true."

"Here," Eric dashed across the room and started rifling through the closet. "I think i've got just the thing." After a few moments he pulled out one of his old shirts. It had a red and white check pattern and was a bit short for him in the sleeves. "Take off that old thing." He ordered and she complied, ignoring his eyes when they focused on her stomach. Watching him, she carefully traded shirts and put his on, buttoning it up as he gently rolled her sleeves up to her elbows for her. "See!" He stated proudly, stepping back and admiring his handiwork.

She had the shirt tucked into the shorts with just enough over-hanging to disquise the slight baby-bump and then with a few adjustments to her bra-strap, tightening it at the back, she had the shirt buttoned down just enough to have her showing off an ample amount of cleavage for the character, without surrendering an ounce of her dignity. She was satisfied and Eric was relieved.

"I'll just finish up my make-up and we can go." She grinned happily, bounding off into the bathroom as he moved back down the hall.

Like everything within the CSI crime lab, the infamous Halloween party was a team affair. It had long ago become tradition, that certain groups arrived at the event as the same characters year after year. Near to seven years ago, Calleigh had been dubbed Miami-dade's own personal walking rendition of Daisy Duke and therefore, needed her cohorts and partners in crime - cousins Luke, Bo and Uncle Jesse - by her side.

Being the resident Texan and a long time fan of the short-statured blonde bombshell, Frank had jumped at the chance to don the over-alls and take up the metaphorical keys to his moonshine-running car, 'Black Tillie' as their honorary Unlce Jesse. In addtion, the original knock-knuckle brothers of Miami-dade county, Eric Delko and Timothy Speedle - with their dry humor and next to fearless antics - took up the positions as Bo and Luke with wreckless abandon.

But as of late, the relationship between the Halloween teams had been strained. Eric was cautiously stepping into the boots of his long lost and dear cousin, Luke. And Ryan, having no other choice but to take up the reigns of Bo and face the consequences of possibly not living up to Eric's standards as his replacement little cousin or his famous rebel yell - he was a ball of nerves leading up to the night. Not to mention the fact that Natalia, Valera and Jane had been practically begging Calleigh to trade in her cowboy boots for the pleated skirts of their missing leader, Sailor Moon.

Needless to say, Calleigh's calm and collected voice of reason was a welcome respite to the flustered CSIs, who should have realistically been worried about more important things.

"You really think I look alright?" Calleigh asked, tugging on her shirt as the pair of them made their way into the large function room decked out with jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, goblins and ghouls.

"Apart from the fact that you're having a baby with your cousin, you're beautiful." He smirked, pressing his hand to the small of her back as he dropped a gentle kiss on her cheek. Calleigh laughed, burying her face in his shoulder for a moment, as she smiled.

"You always say the sweetest things." She joked, dropping her hand to lace her fingers through his.

"Calleigh," Natalia called and Calleigh's face lit up in a wide smile as she trotted across the room in her high cork wedges, into Sailor Jupiter's awaiting arms. "what happened to the lasso shirt?" She questioned, playing with Calleigh's curls just a little, marvelling at how very flamboyant their little firearms expert became at these parties.

Calleigh frowned. "I'm too fat." Was all she said and Natalia caught Eric's eye over her friend's shoulder, throwing him a curious glance.

"She thinks she's fat, but what she fails to realise is that pregnancy, doesn't count as fat. Please," Eric wrapped his arms around Calleigh's waist from behind, pressing his hands against her stomach to pull her shirt tight across her little bump. "tell her she's beautiful?" He pleaded, resting his chin on Calleigh's shoulder with a pathetic pout and Natalia laughed.

"You are Calleigh, honestly. This really suits you." She met eyes with Eric for a moment, taking them both in with a contented smile. "All of this does."

"Well," Calleigh blushed, falling back into Eric's chest. "it does feel nice." She admonished, all but forgetting Natalia was there as she brushed her cheek against Eric's chin and hugged his arms.

"But watch out tonight, okay," Natalia rested a hand on top of Calleigh's, pulling the couple out of their moment with a serious tone of voice and a weary look. "I heard that Steltler's coming."

Calleigh's eyes widened and she bit her bottom lip, reluctantly stepping out of Eric's hold. "Thanks Nat," He cleared his throat and threw Calleigh an almost mournful glance as he stepped away from the women, pushing his way through the crowd to find a safe haven in beers and Wolfe.

"Are you okay, Calleigh?" Her friend asked as she watched Calleigh staring at Eric's back as he disappeared.

"Yeah, I just," She smiled wanely, turning back to Natalia. "I just wish we didn't have to do this."

"I couldn't imagine it feels." Natalia grasped her friend's hand, patting it gently. "I think you're pretty brave, though."

"In a few months, Natalia, I'm going to be walking around the lab and people are going to ask questions, they're going to make judgements and I can't tell them that I'm so excited to have this baby. I can't tell them that her father and I made a choice," She released a breath, running a palm along her brow. "I can't tell them how much we want this. I wouldn't call that brave."

"Calleigh, you're facing something that none of us should have to face. You're the bravest person I know. And so what if people are going to look at you, so what if they're going to judge you. At the end of every day," She smiled warmly, holding Calleigh's hand tightly in her own as she gestured to Ryan and Eric across the room, acting out what appeared to be a two man reproduction of a Three Stooges skit, causing each other to laugh so hard tears practically burst from Eric's eyes as the two women watched him smiling widely. "you get to go home to that."

"That's all well and good, Nat," Calleigh edged closer to her, lowering her voice. "but as soon as I have this baby, people are going to know."

"Calleigh," Natalia started, but Calleigh's strangled chuckle stopped her short.

"Natalia, it's going to be fairly obvious when I - the blonde-haired, green-eyed, woman paler than snow white with all the blood drained from her face - have this adorable little caramel baby who's likely to have the most beautiful chocolate eyes, curly dark hair and if I'm lucky, looks like daddy. People aren't stupid, Nat."

"So what," She grasped Calleigh's shoulders, all but attempting to shake some sense into her. "so what. When it comes to it, you'll cross that bridge and you'll do it with that amazing man by your side and a gorgeous baby in your arms. You can do it Calleigh. I know you can, we all know you can."

Calleigh let out a sigh. "Sometimes I'm just scared that I won't be able to."

"But you're doing it." Natalia grinned, letting her go. "You doing it regardless of all that. That takes guts."

"So ladies," Calleigh and Natalia spun around at the sound of Frank's voice as the man snaked an arm across Calleigh's shoulders. "you ready for this little fashion show?" He smirked and Calleigh laughed.

Each year the teams took part in their own rendition of a Halloween parade, showcasing the costumes both new and old. For a few years running, Calleigh, Eric, Speed and Frank had even performed a little, causing the crowd to bark with laughter at the antics of the Duke's and their beloved Moonshine. They hadn't tried it yet with Ryan, the act was still new and the poor guy still wasn't sure if he was Luke or Bo, so Calleigh hadn't forced anything upon him just yet. Not that they weren't all waiting patiently for the gung-ho little blonde to break lose on him at any moment. Halloween was, after all, her favourite holiday.

"Call it that again and I'll pull out my gun." She warned.

Frank looked her up and down. "You do not have a gun on you."

"Trust me," Calleigh grinned, spinning out of his hold. "I do. Oh you're kidding me," Natalia and Frank both turned in the direction Calleigh was looking and they both narrowed their eyes, mirroring her expression. "I can't beleive he didn't dress up."

"He's probably still on duty," Natalia threw in and Frank glanced in her direction, nodding.

"Well I'm going to give him a piece of my mind." Calleigh stated, hands on her hips as she stormed off in the direction of Horatio, standing by the door wearing his signiture black suit, with his sunglasses dangling from his fingertips.

"Happens every year." Frank shook his head. "One night a year, she asks him to dress up. For all of that man's intelligence, you'd think he'd just do it."

Moments later, Eric appeared at Natalia's side, patting Frank on the shoulder in greeting as he searched their little corner of the hall with his eyes. "Where's Cal?"

"Horatio isn't wearing a costume." Was all she said and Eric's eyes drifted to the doorway, where Calleigh was tearing Horatio down for likely not even bothering to change the colour of his tie and he had to chuckle.

"With all the guns and this unnatural obsession with Halloween. Sometimes I fear for my children." He stated, shaking his head with a smirk on his lips as he headed over, intent on saving his boss's life.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is very short, I know. But I'm feeling that this story has lost quite a bit of it's direction. So I'm going to leave you guys with this at the moment and when I find the story again, I'll be sure to update. I promise. I just leave you with a little fluff because I know that both this chapter and my last one, were not the best I've ever written.

* * *

Eric stood in the doorway, looking out onto the back porch with a broad smile on his lips. He crossed his arms over his chest, resting his shoulder against the doorframe as he watched her. She still had her daisy dukes on, but she'd pulled on a pair of Eric's thick socks and covered her torso with his worn U of M hoodie. She'd washed the make-up from her face and pulled her hair back into a thick, curled pony-tail.

She was sitting on a deck-chair, curled up on her side with Rajah purring contentedly in her lap, watching her as she munched on left over Halloween candy. She was beautiful and a warmth spread through him as he watched her run her hand across her belly, smiling to herself.

"Should you be eating that?" He asked, stepping out onto the deck.

She smiled up at him. "I'm allowed three more skittles. I'm savouring them."

Eric laughed gently, dropping himself to his knees beside her chair and resting his elbows at her hip. Calleigh ran her fingers across the back of his head, caressing his scalp as he pressed his chin to her hip, letting the tiny kitten nuzzle his nose. "Did you take your insulin?" He asked.

Calleigh shook her head. "No, but I'm due." With a playful smirk, Eric pulled a syringe from his pocket and Calleigh laughed. "What would I do without you?"

"Oh I don't know," Flirtatiously, he ran his fingers along her outer thigh, dipping them under the hem of her shorts before pulling them up high enough for him to give her, her injection. She winced at the slight sting and he wished she didn't have to go through it every day. She threw him a smile and he knew by the look in her eyes that she was fine, but he still felt the need to kiss away the pain. So he leant down and pressed his lips to her thigh with a smile that she could feel against her skin.

"I hope she has your legs." He whispered, running his palm across her knee and up the inside of her thigh.

"I hope _he_ has your eyes." She smirked, running her thumb across his cheek.

Eric watched her expression change slowly. She cast her eyes out over the darkened pool, studying the moon as it reflected on the smooth surface. "Do you want to know?" She asked softly and Eric furrowed his brow for a moment.

"The gender?"

She nodded.

"Do you?" He watched her hand, as she slipped it from the kitten's head, and wrapped her fingers around his.

"I think so."

Calleigh giggled as Eric reached across her and picked up the kitten with one hand. Pushing Calleigh aside as he climbed up onto the chair, before pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against his chest as he deposited the kitten back in her lap and kissed her neck. "Then I guess tomorrow, you'll be able to start designing that nursery."

Calleigh shook her head, smiling. "I was thinking of making it neutral anyway. I read that babies are mesmerized by dark patterns, I'd like to do the room in reds, whites and blacks."

"Sounds different."

"I think dark edwardian patterns could look quite striking."

Eric chuckled. "As long as I can buy my little girl a tutu, you can do the room however you like."

Calleigh turned around in his arms, hugging the kitten to her chest as she rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, looking up at him. "You never cease to surprise me. Other men talk about buying their sons footballs and teaching them to catch a baseball, but here you are, insisting you be allowed to buy your little girl a tutu."

Eric leant down and pressed his lips to hers, gently, brushing his nose against hers as he ran his fingers through her hair with one hand and pressed his other palm to her stomach. "If I hope for a girl, there's a better chance she'll look just like you."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Well, this fic is going. But it does appear to be slow going so I do hope you'll bear with me. I'm clinging to what some would refer to, as my muse, by the very edge of my long thin fingernails and trying desperately, to hold onto both it and any semblance of a good imagination, so I hope this doesn't appear to be too contrived. But hey, I've worked out the baby's gender and name, so I suggest we all raise our glasses to progress! Opa!

Also, I'm aware that a large portion of a chapter from Stetler's point of view, might be bizarre. But I have a penchant for attempting to help people feel differently towards loathed characters. I was rather successful with Jake, so I'm hoping for at least a small turnaround with Stetler. (That's not saying I like the guy. I'm just saying that it's a little more complicated than that.) I actually think he's just got some kind of rare strain of Foot-_In_-Mouth disease. We don't condemn people for being OCD, do we? (I'm so totally rambling here, lol.)

* * *

Watching the numbers tick over on the elevator, Rick sighed as he slipped his hands into his pockets. He hated the elevator in the crime lab, it was so cold and wide and slow, it felt like he was standing in the middle of an oversized metal coffin, as it lowered him in to hell. Trying his best to defend the dayshift, was the most thankless job he'd ever had to carry. The vigilante Horatio Caine was the sharpest thorn in his side, regardless of the fact that the man had a good heart and a good head for his job - though unfortunately for Rick, he didn't have the best head for regulations. To top that off, he had no ally on the dayshift, with which to confide his worries to and all too many reasons, to keep that particular group on MDPD payroll.

Delko was just a brick wall and Wolfe scampered away whenever he entered a room. Natalia wasn't high enough on his chain of departmental worries and Tripp, well, he was an interloper as far as he was concerned. Calleigh was the most forth-right, if any of them could be considered such. But even she, through her polite, considerate smiles and her sweet southern twang, was a hard rock to crack. They were all so guarded and so defensive and he could never manage to get in a word edgewise, to explain himself or his actions. He was by-the-book and they were the kind of geniuses that left the smart-ass corrections in the margins. He'd never found his in, so he'd settled with being on the out. He settled, for being the villain he'd never intended to be. Sometimes he wondered if it had anything to do with his inability to turn the other way but then he'd blink and he'd tell himself that it was his job and if they were as righteous as they believed themselves to be, they'd understand that.

The elevator made a sound that indicated he'd reached his destination and with a deep sigh, he stepped forward, waiting for the doors to open all the way so that he could step out. Making his way across the foyer, he inclined his head as he dug his hands deeper into his pockets when he noticed a head of blonde hair that he recognised.

"Officer Duquesne," He greeted her and though her back was still to him, he noticed her shoulders twitch as she switched her weight from one foot to the other.

"Rick," She answered. And he watched the back of her head as she continued to fill in her log, resting her elbows against the reception desk whilst she artfully signed her name and finished it off with her badge number, as was protocol, something he knew she was intimately accustomed to. Protocol, these people could sing in their sleep, but regulations seemed to induce a swelling of the brain and that breif fuzzy moment you feel when you get up too fast and your eyes roll back in your head.

"Is Horatio around?" He questioned, standing in the center of the foyer, knowing that eventually her southern demurity would subconciously insist that she meet his eye.

"He's out on a lead," He watched her hand her clip-board back over to the clerk before grasping the lid of her pen and capping it, as she turned around to face him. Immediately, his eyes widened and his jaw fell open slightly. He could feel his eyeballs starting to itch, when he realised he was staring and he blinked rapidly, clearing his throat and hurtling his eyes across the room in a vein attempt at looking like he wasn't caught completely off-guard. Calleigh seemed to barely notice, slipping the cap on her pen and pushing it into her pocket as she smiled politely and rested her hand atop the champagne silk that covered her belly. "is there anything that I can help you with?"

"I," He coughed, unable to clear the sudden tickle in his throat. Calleigh continued to watch him, looking at him as innocently as one would a cat with a hair-ball and smirking slightly, when he finally managed to straighten himself up. "you're..."

"I'm..." She took a step towards him, absently running her hand across the top of her round belly and before he realised that he was staring again, he wondered if she knew she was doing it. "what?"

"You're pregnant."

Calleigh looked down at her hand, flipping it over so her palm was pointed up as she stared down at her belly. "I do beleive I am." She smiled, sliding her hand down her belly and kindly diverting attention from it as she let it rest by her side, fiddling with the hem of her suit jacket, though Stetler couldn't see that.

"I didn't know you were even," He made a gesture with his hand, kind of like a wave, kind of not and Calleigh frowned for a moment, playing the part of her hair colour for a second, before nodding her head.

"Regardless of the fact my private life is none of your business, Rick, I'm not."

"But,"

Calleigh cut him off. "I really don't think that it's any of your concern." She set her gaze steadily on him and he frowned, taking a step towards her, moving close enough that he had to look down at her, instead of simply ahead.

"If this is-" He stopped himself, scratching his chin as he searched for the right phrase of words. "Look, I know that in the past, you've had a penchant for inter-office relationships, but-"

Calleigh stepped back suddenly, her mouth wide open in appal and her hand rested protectively against her belly. "How _dare_you," She stated, taking another step back. "How dare you accuse me of," She took a deep breath, straightened her back and raised her chin high. "I had to suffer your questions and your accusations not five minutes after I had watched a troubled man kill himself, a man that yes, I had a relationship with. I had to walk away from Jake Berkeley, when you stated new department regulations stipulated our relationship to be, problematic. But never once, did I treat you with the disrespect you've shown me just now. Heaven help you simply throw me a _'Congratulations Calleigh'_ and be done with it!"

"Calleigh," His eyes pleaded with her, but Calleigh held up her hand. Turning back to the reception counter, Calleigh grabbed the manila folder than was sitting on the edge before turning on her heel and heading towards the Ballistics lab. "Calleigh," He called after her again, but she threw a glare over her shoulder, stopping in the doorway with her manila folder pressed against her belly whilst she held herself against the door frame as her staff filed out. Lately, she'd avoided firearms because it meant all others that worked for her in the dark little lab, couldn't do their work without consideration of her. They couldn't test fire weapons if she was in the lab, or handle any chemicals if she wasn't appropriately geared up, so she'd avoided them, letting them do their jobs. But Stetler had her so on edge that she needed the escape.

"Horatio will be back in an hour, feel free to loiter until he arrives. I've got work to do."

Rick stood in the center of the foyer, dropping his eyes to the floor because it seemed easier and far less embarrassing to avoid all of the eyes, currently watching him. He'd approached her all wrong, but goddamn it, he'd been utterly shocked. He'd always thought Calleigh Duquesne was a beautiful woman and on occasion, had pondered the wonder of why she wasn't in any kind of exclusive relationship. Then again, he wasn't around enough to really get a feel for what she might be like outside of the job, apart from the fact that he had the strongest feeling she didn't differ all too much. But she'd dated Hagen and Berkeley so, as he considered it, he realised that her taste may not have been all that great. Couple that with little to no, personal time and considerable issues with an on-the-wagon off-the-wagon father, he couldn't really blame her for dating cops. After all, she was a beautiful woman with a badge and a gun and an unlimited supply of ammunition. What man in his right mind, would buy a second round with a woman who knew more about bullets than he did?

That didn't explain why she was seven months pregnant though.

Rick watched the feet of the people as they passed him, ignoring the notion that it was very possible they were all sending him subliminal messages of hate and loathing through glares and whispers, but what was really different about that? Listening to the sounds of the lab around him, he tried to think of a better way to explain it all.

**

Eric flipped his phone open, throwing Natalia an apologetic smile as she rested the evidence in her hands against the bench and waited patiently as he answered the call. "Delko."

_"Eric, it's me."_

"What's wrong? Is it the baby?" He looked up at Natalia, who's eyes had widened and who's lips were mouthing - _'Is that Calleigh?'_ - he held up a finger as he listened.

_"The baby's fine, but Eric, I need to talk to you."_

"Yeah, sure. You just sit tight and i'll be there in a minute." Slapping the phone shut, Eric turned on his heel, making his way towards the door before he turned back. "Natalia, I've got to-" She brushed him off with a wave of her hand.

"It's fine, go," She grinned. "I'll get these results to Horatio as soon as he gets back."

"Thanks, Nat."

"Give my regards to the little Mama." She winked and Eric laughed, pushing the heavy glass door open before making his way down the hall, leaving a gentle chuckle behind him.

**

"What's wrong?" Eric asked quickly, darting into her lab and pressing his palms to her workbench, practically craning his whole body across it. Calleigh would have smiled at his boyish protectiveness, were it not for the bitter taste of agitation still lingering in the back of her throat.

"I can't do this." She stated, looking up at him with her eyes wide open and lit a vibrant green as the flourescent light bounced off her glistening iris'.

"Do what?"

"This sneaking around," She whispered forcefully. "I know it was my idea and I know that it's important we keep it up, but Eric..." She released a breath. "I just lied to Stetler's face." She rested her elbows on the workbench, dropping her face into her hands as Eric watched her, studying her and smiling at the way the ends of her long hair sat curled against the top of her belly.

"Cal," Eric's eyes softened and he resisted the urge to take her into his arms, thankful in that moment, for the large glass table that separated them. "he's the only one that doesn't know, so it's only like we're sneaking around _sometimes_. Horatio has our backs, we're going to be fine." He smiled weakly, knowing full-well that it was a pathetic response. But she looked up at him and she smiled softly, so he was relieved.

"Eric," He nodded, resting his elbows on the bench, looking into her eyes. "can I ask you something?"

"Anything." He answered seriously, having noticed immediately when her expression had changed.

"Does if bother you, if she takes my name?"

Eric stood up straighter, craning his neck out the door to see where Stetler was and feeling satisfied that the man was no where in sight, he reached back over the bench and took one of her hands within both of his, running his thumb over the back of her hand, gently. "Calleigh," He smiled, letting the warmth creep up his neck as he blushed and kissed the back of her hand far too briefly for it to be felt, let alone noticed. "I would be honored, for my daughter to have her mother's name."

"You really wouldn't mind, if she's not Delko?"

Eric laughed gently. "She'll be a Delko when we're married. Let her live proudly as a firey little Duquesne first."

Calleigh tilted her head to the side, slipping her hand from within his quickly as a tech walked by the door. She lowered her voice. "Awfully sure of yourself there, Mr Delko." She raised an eyebrow and Eric chuckled.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys! So I know that a lot of you have been politely nagging me to continue this story! I've wanted to, so very badly. But you've all jumped over to "This Woman's Work" anyway, so I'm happy that I could afford you some E/C cutness to make you happy while this was on hiatus. I mostly left this story alone for a while because I wasn't really sure where it was going. I mean, I knew and fundamentally, I still know. But it's taking a differen path and it's doing that on it's own. So I've decided to let it. This is where it forks away from the original plan and comes to where I've decided I like most of my CSI fics. It's living in their world as an entity all it's own. If that doesn't make sense to you, that's alright. As long as the story does and you enjoy it, I'm happy.

I know this is a short chapter. But I felt that elaborating further would take something away from it. I hope to keep updating this, side-by-side with "The Best of All Lost Arts" and while I'm still working out the basis for my "This Woman's Work" epilogue (which is basically a fic all it's own) I'm also running LOTSBigbang, a Legend of the Seeker bigbang challenge, if anyone's interested, over on LJ.

But enough of my shameless self-promotion. *g* I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and can welcome me back with open arms?

(Set post "All Fall Down" and considering everything has happened in the series except, Eric never left CSI.)

* * *

Feeling the vibration in his pocket as the doors closed on the elevator, Eric smiled as he pulled his phone out. He knew it'd be another message from Calleigh. They'd been messaging back and forth all day - everyday - and he knew it was purely because she was happy to have the freedom that had come from Stelter's incarceration. They could no longer feel his hot, sticky breath on the backs of their necks and Calleigh was taking full advantage of that - Probably even gloating a little, even though that was completely unlike Calleigh, because after her little run-in with Stetler, Eric knew she'd been on edge. He smiled inwardly, knowing that this new freedom would afford them more stability in their relationship and he looked forward to it.

Ever since they'd stood in the hallway, watching officers cart Stetler away, Eric had felt that it was incredibly ironic. For years they'd had Stetler breathing down their necks about regulations and rules and stomping around the lab trying to catch them all up on something, anything. For years he'd been trying to pin something on one of them, so that he could cover up the fact that all that time, it'd been him.

Calleigh had told him earlier in the morning, with that glistening grin, and that no-nonsense forth-rightness, that she knew he'd missed her and while he could have argued that he'd slept between her sheets - waking to hear her singing softly to the round of her belly - washed in her shower and cooked in her kitchen, each and every day, he simply grinned and nodded his head, accepting her glowing smile of pride and adoration as she cheerily marched away with a bounce in her step. It wasn't like he'd gone anywhere, but now that they no longer had to hide anything, he supposed she was right. He had missed her.

He loved that playful, innocent, giddy side of Calleigh that only came out every once and a while and really only came out with him. Occasionally the team saw it, he knew, like when they were all heading off for drinks and everyone was exhausted but Calleigh - even though, rightfully, she was the one that should be exhausted. Or when she'd hold super-bowl parties with fried chicken and mimosas even though she hated football and couldn't drink. But mostly, the rest of them didn't see that side of her. Deep down, Eric didn't care if the rest of the world saw it as long as he could wake up to that giddy smile and a giggle buried in a pillow that smelt like lavender, every morning when he rolled over and tickled her ribs or pressed an adoring hand to her stomach, feeling their baby move within her.

He knew the message was from her and with a smile on his face, he clicked to open it as the doors to the elevator opened on the floor of the crime-lab. Listening to them open before him, he took a step off as he tried to read the message. But there was nothing there, it was blank.

Eric frowned. Calleigh never sent him a blank message. And quite frankly, he couldn't imagine why she even would.

Confused, he lifted his head only for any thoughts to disappear from his mind in an instant. His phone was forgotten, the silence in the air muffled a whirring in his ears as his wide eyes scanned the area before him.

Everyone in the lab seemed to have fallen where they stood. Papers litered the floor, broken glass lay shattered on the orange linoleum as he studied the sea of white coats that lay sprawled before him. The largest heap in the centre of the hall, called to him like a beacon and in an instant, he was running towards it.

"Walter!" He called, slapping his cheeks to try and get a response out of him. "Walter, hey, hey!" He shook him, his panic rising to uncontrollable levels. The entire team was down. Through the door to the trace lab, he could see Ryan laying in a pool of shattered test-tubes and Natalia was three feet away with her face buried in her hair. He could hear the distant clicking of a clock and suddenly, his heart dropped into his stomach with a sickening dread. _Where was Calleigh?_

"Calleigh," He breathed, his panic taking over control of his feet as he launched himself from Walter's side. He feared for the lives of his friends, but his mind funnelled all thoughts into a single direction. Calleigh. He had to find her. She had to be okay.

He ran towards the Ballistics lab with his heart pounding in his throat. A million thoughts ran through him. Call 911, call H, call for any kind of back-up that could possibly reach him in a milisecond. But all of those thoughts came second to the need to move faster than his legs could carry him.

Though when he saw her there, sprawled on her side in the centre of the range, his feet seemed to find new momentum. He was by her side in an instant, dragging her body into his lap as he practically wailed her name.

"Babe, breathe, _breathe_," He begged, shaking her, holding her to his chest as he brushed long tendrils of golden hair from her face.

"You hear me?" He cried, cradling her head in his hands as her body slipped like a dead weight from his arms. Her arms slipped away from him, her hand stretching out across the floor because the fall of her limp body was beyond his control. "Calleigh," He wept, stroking her hair desperately but reverantly. "please." He touched his fingers to her throat, praying to feel the faintest beat of her pulse.

He didn't know what to do. She was unconcious. Barely breathing and as his eyes cast down to the round of her belly pressed to the cold floor, he felt like his heart was going to stop. _Please_. He begged, raising his tear-filled eyes to the ceiling as he chewed on his lips, not even caring that his lip was already red-raw. _Please, I'll do anything, just save them_. He was conciously aware that he was praying; something he hadn't found solice in since Marisol's death. But desperate times call for desperate measures and wrapping his arms around Calleigh, feeling the baby squirm within her as she lay prone, he knew that he'd finally reach the absolute of desperation.

"SOMEBODY!" He screamed, knowing that all ears short of the sidewalk were bound to be unconcious to his pleas. "Somebody help!" He continued to call, frenzied in his panic, holding Calleigh's motionless form as tightly to him as he could.

He knew that he needed to get out of there, he needed to get help. But, his first instinct was to protect this woman. His first instinct was to do everything in his power to make her breathe again. "Calleigh?" He sobbed against her chest, cradling her up above the ground with one strong palm pressed between her shoulder-blades and his other hand, curled desperately in the fabric of her blouse at her hip. Her head hung back, the length of her throat exposed to his falling tears as her hair trailed along the ground.

"No." He shook his head, grinding his teeth together defiantly. "Not this time." He stated, taking a deep breath as he slipped his arm under her shoulders. "Not again." He was defiant in his movements, determined in his will as he hooked his arm underneath her knees and swiflty hefted her tiny body into his arms. The added weight of the baby didn't even hinder him, because there was nothing that could have stopped him getting them out of there.

He didn't care how it looked. He didn't care to be counted as the man that went in and dragged his girlfriend and their child out of the life-threatening situation when there was well over a hundred other people, suffering just as she. He knew that Horatio wouldn't fault him for his choice to drag her to safety - if getting her out was simply enough - because Horatio had the same level of love and respect for Calleigh that he did, if it did take a different form. He would rationalize that she was the smallest, lightest, the easiest to carry and seven months into her pregnancy, she was the most at risk. And he'd be right and correct in stating those facts as the reasons why he bolted toward the elevator with her cradled in his arms.

No one needed to know that he'd stepped over countless unconcious bodies to find her in a haze of panic.

Stumbling into the elevator, he dropped to his knees with exhurtion as he reached up and slammed his fist against the button for the ground floor.

"Come on, Calleigh!" He called, shaking her again as her knees fell from his grasp and she lay half across his body, half across the floor again. "Please, Calleigh, you need to breathe."

He knew he was repeating himself. But he didn't know what else he could call that would make her wake up. Sweat broke out on his brow as he shook her, cradled her and caressed her face. Holding his fingers to her throat as he felt the faint beat of her heart keeping them both back from the brink of death.

He knew that as long as he felt the dull thud of her heartbeat against the tips of his fingers, his life would continue to matter.

"Eric, what happened?" The worried voice of Horatio reached his ears before he even realised that the doors had opened. He looked up, clawing at Calleigh to keep her body as close as possible to his own as his tear-filled eyes met those of his brother-in-law. Tripp, standing just shy of his left shoulder with a destraught look on his face, upon seeing the unconcious woman in his arms, let his mouth fall open in astonishment and abject fear.

"I thought," Eric choked, gripping her tighter and checking for her pulse again. "I thought that maybe if I could get her out into the air."

Horatio made his way towards Eric, almost as though he were approaching a sleeping lion. Stepping up to the pair bundled in a heap in the corner of the elevator. "What happened?" He breathed, knowing that time was of the essence, but needing to know.

"They're all down, H. Everyone, the whole lab. She's," His eyes dropped to Calleigh's face and the few errant strands of blonde marring the perfection with flyaways glistening from the sunlight coming through the open doors ahead. "she's not breathing."

To his credit, Horatio wasted no more time with questions. Eric could hear the sound of sirens peeling through the air, coming from a distance and in an instant, Horatio was back to his full height, turning toward Tripp as he issued his orders.

Eric was in a daze. He ignored the two men and their voices muffled by the sound of his own heart, pounding in his ears. He didn't hear the call that Tripp made, for more aid, for more ambulances, for hands, any hands to help them drag the poisoned to safety. And poison it was, he knew. There wasn't anything else that could knock down an entire lab of CSIs and cops without anyone seeing it coming.

Eric wasn't sure when he'd gathered her in his arms again and stood, but he knew that from the Ballistics lab to the elevator, to Horatio and now the stairs outside the crimelab, could only have been a matter of seconds. A whole minute, only maybe.

He held her body tight to his chest, feeling the rolling of her head against his shoulder as he made his way down, watching the flashing lights of the first ambulance on the scene. The back doors burst open and paramedics flew through the air. They gathered around him in a bustling cacophony of shouts and orders as they tried to take her from him. He wouldn't have it, though. Shock had set in and the idea that she just might never breathe again, that he just might never meet their baby, had taken over. He could see the gurney lying motionless in the back of the ambulance and he made a beeline for it.

The paramedics didn't force him to relinquish her, seeing that his mind was set in a singular direction and so obviously grateful that that direction got her exaclty where they needed her. Numbly, he fell against the bench in the ambulance, being jostled about as the paramedics hooked Calleigh up to all sorts of machines and a female paramedic strapped a fetal monitor around her stomach. As hands were pumped against her chest and a mask was placed over her mouth, forcing air into her lungs, he could feel the harsh fabric of her lab-coat against his fingers. Her coat had fallen open and the contrast between her cotton shirt and her polyester coat was startling in this silent, absent world he'd been thrust into. Nothing existed for him but the beeping of their two heartbeats on the machines, a dull rumble that he assumed was voices and Calleigh, laying on the gurney, unresponsive.

He could see one of her shoes laying forgotten on the floor of the ambulance. In their haste to climb in, one of the paramedics must have knocked it from her foot. Staring at the shiney black shoe, he was grateful that it hadn't fallen out the doors as they were slammed shut behind them and the ambulance hurtled off in the direction of Miami General. He was grateful because they were her favourite and they were the only high pair she still found comfortable after all these months.

He frowned, wondering why that even mattered in that instant.

TBC


End file.
